1. Jessica Wu
Portfolio

2. Table of Contents
1 Case Study - Castelvecchio, Carlo Scarpa
5 Case Study - Glass House, Philip Johnson
11 Sustainable Design
19 10 West Street Project
27 Goyescas
33 Kolonihavn and the Meaning of Hygge
43 MU / Wood
49 Pier Museum

3. Case Study -
Castelvecchio, Carlo Scarpa
The Castelvecchio dates back to the medieval times
and was originally a military warehouse that was
mainly used as storage for weapons and munition.
Later on, the building became a Venetian Military
Academy. The Castelvecchio endured much turmoil.
The late 18th century was a time of anti-French
revolts and was the site for many epoch battles. Fi-
nally in 1923, the building ceased to serve a military
purpose. The Castelvecchio underwent dramatic
structural changes and also received late Gothic
and Renaissance decorative elements to its facade.
It eventually became the home for many priceless
works of art. Carlo Scarpa’s job was to oversee the
restoration of the building and the installation of the
artwork.
Carlo Scarpa’s Castelvecchio was the foundation from
which I based my entire semester’s work on. Prior
to entering the Interior Architecture department back
in September 2006, I had very limited experience
with creating floor plans, sections, and axonometric
drawings. Throughout the semester, I studied an
extensive collection of Scarpa’s plans and sketches.
I copied many of his drawings to improve upon my
own drafting skills. In doing so, my drafting skills
have improved dramatically, which really shows in
drawings of my own designs.
December 2006

4. 3 4
Upon entering the Interior Architecture department at the Rhode Is-
land School of Design, I was instructed on how to properly illustrate
floor plans, elevations, and section drawings. I also learned how
to use 3-dimensional methods, such as, axonometric and perspec-
tive drawings to demonstrate my designs. One important point my
professor wanted me to retain is that drafting should not only be
something that serves a functional purpose but it should also be
viewed as a piece of artwork that is aesthetically pleasing.

5. Case Study -
Glass House, Philip Johnson
During the Fall semester of 2006, I learned
how to properly transpose floor plans,
sections, and isometrics using VectorWorks.
From that I continued onto Cinema 4D where
I learned how to apply textures to objects
and create lighting situations.
Philip Johnson’s Glass House in New Canaan,
Connecticut and it’s simplistic design
seemed like an appropriate example of ar-
chitecture to analyze. After doing research
on the structure and studying its plans and
details, I was able recreate Johnson’s design
using these two programs.
December 2006

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8. Sustainable Design
As concerns increase for the future of the planet’s
well being, so has the concerns for promoting a more
eco-friendly lifestyle. Architecture has contributed
to this pursuit of a more sustainable future by
implementing green roofing and solar power to
conserve on energy and also by reducing waste
production during construction. The objective of this
project is to incorporate these sustainable elements
into the overall design. The location of the site is
situated Chelsea, Manhattan, which is known for its
inordinate number of galleries. The assignment was
to renovate the Anton Kern Gallery, located on 532
W 20th Street in New York City, into a seed bank that
house 1,000 seeds or more. The purpose for a seed
bank is to house a collection of seeds with the inten-
tion to plant them if at any time a species of plants
are wiped out. The space is also meant to serve
as a facility devoted to horticultural research and a
museum that educates the public about plants and
the process of its cultivation.
December 2006

9. New York City vegetation inspired me to transform the space into
a place displaying its natural beauty. I decided to take a more
landscape architectural approach to the site. My intention is
to create a public park where people can enjoy the park on the
roof terrace and learn about the seed bank located indoors. In
this park, plants native to the region are allowed to thrive with
little maintenance. The public would have the opportunity to sit
down and enjoy the charming landscape, maybe even bring a
lunch or lie down on the grass and stare at the clouds.
For this project, I had to deal with sustainability issues. In
my design I addressed two different forms of sustainability:
xeriscaping and water harvesting. I designed a water harvest-
ing system on the roof, which will collect rainwater for use in
the building. Rather than using city water for appliances such
as toilets, the rainwater collected in the tank will be used to Okame Cherry Grama Grass
replace the water in the toilets after every flush. The tank holds 14
approximately 10,000 gallons of water, which should be enough
water to sustain the building for at least 10 days without rainfall.
Xeriscaping is also another wonderful resource. My design main
focus features a xeriscape, otherwise known as a green roof.
For example, it has the ability to be self-insulating, it reduces
rain runoff, and ultimately it reduces heating and air condition-
ing bills. The beauty of xeriscaping is that it needs very minimal
maintenance. Plants used for xeriscaping are typically native to
the area and can survive on its own in that specific climate.
The main feature in the research facility is a freezer in which the
seeds are stored in. The freezer is situated in the center of the
front gallery space. On either sides of the freezer are windows
through which the public may view the extensive collection. In
the back are the laboratories in which the scientists may conduct
their research.
Prairie Dropseed Blue Grass

10. 15 16

11. 17 18

12. 10 West Street Project
The Downtown Crossing district of Boston
has undergone a great deal of renova-
tions through the past few years. In some
situations, the original structures on this
street, such as the Opera House, have
been preserved because of its historical
importance. Others buildings in the area
have been completely stripped down to its
bare minimums where any remnants of the
original structure is left behind.
On the corner of Washington Street and
West Street in Boston, Massachusetts, is the
site for this next project. The assignment
was to transform the first floor of the build-
ing into a student center that is equipped
with a cafe, a student lounge space, offices,
mailroom, and a bookstore. The remainder
of the floors above are intended for student
dormitories for Suffolk University.
May 2007

13. What initially inspired my design was the plumbing and
ventilation work that weaved in and out of the structure.
In my concept, I wanted to emphasize the high demand
for technology and other necessary systems required to
meet codes. But at the same time, I wanted to cherish
the unique beauty of the original structure. In essence,
I wanted the elegance of the old structure to coexist with
the technologies of the present without either overpower-
ing the other.
On the first floor, I have divided the space into two
separate areas: the quiet and the loud side. The loud
side consists of two sections. First is the cafe, which is
situated next to the Washington Street entrance in order
to take advantage of the heavy flow of pedestrian traffic
that populates that street in particular. Second is the
student recreational space which provides students with
pool tables and a ping pong table. The quiet side is
where the mail room, offices and student lounge space is
located. Here, students may unwind and check their mail 22
without having to exit the building. The mail room itself is
a tall translucent rectangular prism that spans from floor
to ceiling. It acts as a suggested separation between the
two sides of the floor. In the lounge space, students
have the ability to access the internet on computers that
are mounted on translucent columns. These columns
form two rows which are meant to separate the lounge
space from the flow of traffic coming in and out of the
elevators.
On the mezzanine level is the bookstore, which seen in
the plan, is floating diagonally across the space. There
are two staircases that lead to the bookstore. At the
top are doorways, which allows the bookstore to be
closed independently from the rest of the building. In the
detail and section drawings, the design of the bookstore
becomes more clear. Its unique shape is inspired by the
plumbing and ventilation systems running through the
original structure.

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16. Goyescas
“Goyescas” is a Spanish opera inspired by
the paintings of Francisco Goya. The music
was composed by Enrique Grandos and the
libretto was written by Fernardo Periquet.
The opera tells three interweaving love
stories about Goya and his lover, and the
romances between the characters in his
paintings. Together, these stories reveal the
consequences of distancing ourselves from
the ones we love with the world created by
our own fantasies.
Brown University Opera Production, a stu-
dent run group, chose me to design, build,
and run their spring production of “Goyes-
cas”. After studying specific paintings by
Goya, I collected my findings and incorpo-
rated them into three different sets for each
of the three Tableaus. The entire opera
itself is set in Madrid, Spain and portrays
the events of one day.
April 2007

17. 30
Tableau I

18. Tableau II
31 32
Tableau III

19. KOLONIHAVEN
and the Meaning of Hygge
In going along with this semester’s theme of
promoting a cultural breathing hole, I want to
bring back the essence of the “good ol’ days” by
exploring a creative interpretation of allotments in
Copenhagen. An allotment, or “kolonihaven”, is one
of Denmark’s oldest cultural traditions, occupants
commonly being of the elderly generation. It is a
custom for the houses residing on these allotments
to be constructed using discarded or rejected items
found on street curbs or trash disposals. This idea
of reusing found objects brings in a sustainable
quality to the project, which led to the concept of
incorporating retired generations of S-togs, or
train cars. These train cars would act as modular
structures that may be renovated into habitable
facilities that can easily be transported to the site
and placed onto the desired location.
The program would be situated within Ryvangen
Naturpark. The property itself is a nature park that
appears to be undisturbed for decades and shows
some remnants of the German military base that
once resided in these parts back in World War II.
The site is also conveniently located within walking
distance from the Ryparken Train Station.
I would like to preserve as much of the park’s natu-
ral qualities as possible. My idea is to work around
the park’s uneven terrain, I will work with it by
incorporating allotments into the present landscape
while also taking advantage of the surrounding
resources.
June 2008

20. Background:
An increase of job opportunities in Copenhagen towards the end
Placing these modular homes in the park opens it up to many social pos-
of the 1800s caused citizens to flock to the city center seeking
sibilities, not just for the elderly, but also for the younger generations. The
residence. To accommodate the massive migration, 5-story
main goal for this project is to transform the park into a more social breath-
apartment buildings were erected throughout the city. Many of
ing hole where people from all generations may congregate and enjoy each
those who moved to the city came from more rural areas of the
other’s company. I envision families and elderly folks coming together at
country, bringing with them knowledge of how to cultivate the
the park to indulge in summer activities, such as eating delicious food, play-
earth and to be self-sufficient. With this knowledge, along with
ing games or tending their gardens. By night, people may converse around
the desire to regain a bit of the country that they lost because
a warm bonfire sipping chamomile to playing music and dancing.
of the move, citizens would purchase or rent a small piece of
land on which they would plant a garden. And thus the first
A challenge that this project presents is trying to create a coherent urban
allotments were born.
plan that will move with the landscape and interact with its surroundings
while also taking into consideration the functional and esthetic needs of the
Most allotments were typically situated within walking or biking
client. But to achieve a successful urban plan means uniting two ideas that
distance from a person’s home, or were relatively close to a
has been eloquently put in a text by Ruth Easton from the book titled The
train station. Over the summers, Danes would often prefer to
Spirit of Copenhagen.
35 live on their allotments because of the beautiful, warm weather. 36
It thus became necessary to build overnight accommodations
The real city was – and always should be – the result of the indissociable
directly onto the allotment. They would usually construct small
union of what the ancient Romans called the ‘Urbs’ (the material compo-
homes by reusing found materials such as old shipping crates.
nents of the city) and ‘Civitas’ (the community of the citizens).
Today, houses are sometimes prefabricated and equipped with
more amenities. Due to flourishing city development, many
If this essential relationship between the physical and the social environ-
allotments were forced to either relocated or be demolished.
ment is not assured, the city degenerates into monofunctional zones
Often times, houses were either small enough to be placed on
devoid of any vitality, a fragmentation of the city engendering deep social
the back of a truck and moved or were capable of being easily
fractures.
disassembled and reconstructed at another site. Plants, too,
were also relocated along with the house.
The common denominator of these urban perversions is the lack of har-
mony between the two elements of urban life: Urbs and civitas. A modern
The invention of the automobile resulted in the need to make
French term evokes this twin nature of the city, URBANITÉ (URBINITY),
more roads and widen the existing ones, which forced owners to
defined as: The art of creating the city and the art of living in the city.
relocate their homes. Allotments soon became close neighbors
to busy city streets or train tracks. Growing any sort of fruits or
vegetables became unhealthy and unsafe due to the amount of
pollution being introduced into the air and soil.

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24. MU / Wood
In traditional Chinese culture wood is described as
the “fifth element”, one that bridges the animate
and inanimate world. In the modern world wood and
wooden composites are seen as a great source of
renewable building material. They can effectively
replace the more energy intensive materials of steel
and concrete if properly designed and engineered,
even in large span and high rise construction, and
they have excellent earthquake resistant properties.
Wood’s place as a traditional building material
in China has been largely replaced by reinforced
concrete slab and column construction. Attempts are
beginning made to reintroduce wood as an environ-
mentally renewable material for construction one that
has both aesthetic and structural possibilities.
December 2008

25. The site is situated on the southern furthest point of Zhong
Shan Lu and is considered the oldest part of the street. This
area shows evidence of once being a lively active street full
of restaurants, venders, and other commercial spaces. Now
all but one public space has been evicted or relocated due to
recent development plans.
Buildings in this area range between one to three stories high.
They are old and falling apart in some ways. The organization
of this neighborhood has a very irregular plan as opposed to
more recent development where buildings form a grid pattern.
I became fascinated by how the rooftops in this area creates its
own unique roofscape. Due to the differentiating heights of the
buildings, the area evokes a sense of mystery, wisdom, and an
ancestral presence.
The program is meant to revitalize and resurrect the street by
repopulating the area. Creating more housing and integrating
some restaurant/commercial space would revive the street’s
density while also coexisting seamlessly with the surrounding
45 area. 46

26. 47 48

27. Pier Museum
For this project in question, located at the
end of Fifth Avenue leading to South Beach,
is a “Pier Museum” which pointing out to
sea, will stand as a “horizontal monument”
to all the immigrants (particularly the Cuban
immigrants) who have arrived on these
shores in search of a better future.
The parameters for this project was to
design a structure that must extend off of
Miami Beach more than 100 meters and
must house a museum in which the personal
effects, souvenirs, and photos, belonging
to the new generation of immigrants, will
be exhibited – those who came to the city
of Miami from the 1950s to the 1980s
in search of their own personal American
dream.
May 2009

28. The program of this Pier Museum includes a lobby, temporary and permanent
exhibition space, a casual and dark auditorium, a library, a cafeteria, a ball-
room space, miscellanies space and storage, and a boardwalk that surrounds
the perimeter of the entire structure. My design starts from the Fifth Avenue
and extends approximately 200 meters into the sea.
51 My inspiration stemmed from two sources. First was from my research on 52
Cuban immigration itself. The trip from Cuba to the shores of Miami is a
treacherous journey, one that involves many obstacles, changes in environ-
ment, and is never a straight path. Second were the crashing waves and
current of the ocean. I integrated these concepts into my design by creating
a repetitious pattern of windows alternating between areas allowing for more
natural light to areas of darkness where natural lighting would be harmful to
the exhibition spaces. Throughout the structure “voids” where patrons have
the opportunity to move between interior and exterior spaces.
The overall purpose of this building is to capture a sense of the journey, of
the past, and of the hardships. The museum should teach visitors about
the history of migrations. At the same time the multipurpose space and the
boardwalk that surrounds the museum are opportunities for visitors to also
make their own history.